NYU Wagner students publish a pair of op-eds on urban planning and policy in "Vital City" online journal

A Master of Public Administration (MPA) student at NYU Wagner and an undergraduate heading to Wagner soon to earn a Master of Urban Planning (MUP) degree have just published back-to-back opinion essays in the online journal Vital City, wrestling with issues that will shape the future of New York City and other urban communities.

Austin Celestin, a journalism BA with a strong bent toward urban planning, authored "Risks Outside the Zone," a deep dive into the potential impact of congestion pricing on the South Bronx and Northern Manhattan.

And, Ben Hitchcock (MPA 2024) has published "Willets Point and the Making of a Neighborhood," about the Queens commercial enclave eyed for transformation in the shadow of Citi Field.

"But what kind of neighborhood will Willets Point be?," asks Hitchcock. "If this project represents the future of New York, as Mayor Adams has said, what can Willets Point tell us about what’s in store for our city?"